File photo of BJP chief Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah joined the war of words over the Pakistan boat issue on Tuesday, accusing the opposition Congress of politicising the Pakistan boat incident and asking whether the party was contesting elections in India or Pakistan.
"I would like to ask the Congress where they fight elections? In India or Pakistan?" he said, while addressing the BJP's 'Mahasangram' rally during his maiden visit to Odisha.
It should be the "duty" of the Congress to "boost the morale" of the defence personnel, instead of "finding faults with NDA government's determined efforts to curb terror," he added.
The Pakistani fishing boat blew up after it was intercepted by the Coast Guard off Gujarat coast last week.
Speculation had been rife on whether there was a terror angle to the incident and yesterday, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said the boat was in touch with the Pakistani Army and the Pakistani establishment.
The Congress had raised doubts over government's version, asking the government to "come clean" and explain "which terrorist organisation" was behind the episode. Its stand triggered a war of words with the BJP, which accused the opposition party of touching a "new low" and playing politics over terror.
On Sunday, accusing the Congress of speaking the language of Pakistan, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had said, " Should they raise doubt on a major terror incursion?"
The relations between Pakistan and India have lately been at a low, with the continuing ceasefire violations at the border and the bail to 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi.
"They (Pakistan) fire bullets from across the border, but the nature of India's response under NDA government has changed. We are giving a befitting reply," Mr Shah said. "Earlier, they (Pakistan) used to open fire first and they ended it too. But now, we end the firing."